"Chaotic cataract outpatient appointment"

I arrived early and checked in at the reception, at 8.20 for an 8.30 appointment, I waited for an hour and went back to reception to ask what time I could expect to be seen, I was directed to a nurse station, and asked the nurse who had no record of me and asked whether i had checked in. The nurse then asked a few other questions and not being able to find my notes asked me again whether I had checked in. I said that I had and that I was not happy with the tone of the question, The nurse asked me to sit and the nurse went to the reception. A quarter of an hour later I was told that they could not find my notes, but that i would be seen quickly. At 10.15 I was seen by a nurse for an eye test, and at 10.30 a registrar saw me for further tests. At 11.00 I had not been called and queried what was happening and I was told that some tests had not been done and that the consultant could not see me until the test was done. It later transpired that the test had been done, the nurse remembered, but that the results had been lost. I finally got to see the consultant at 11.30 who has put me forward for eye surgery, and because of my long wait I had my pre med assessment immediately after seeing the consultant, which at least avoids another visit.

I finally left at 11.50 3 and a half hours!

So on the basis of this visit I would say the department is badly organised and uncoordinated and my advice to anyone who has to visit the department would be to be prepared to pester frequently if you are not keep well informed about your progress as the staff cannot be relied upon.